Goodbye Internet Explorer, say hello to Microsoft 'Edge'

Microsoft is putting the legacy of Internet Explorer behind it. At its developer conference, Microsoft took the wrap off its new browser, Microsoft Edge, by including features such as integration with Microsoft's digital assistant Cortana,

Microsoft is putting the legacy of Internet Explorer behind it. At its developer conference, Microsoft took the wrap off its new browser, Microsoft Edge, by including features such as integration with Microsoft's digital assistant Cortana, the ability to annotate web pages, and a distraction-free reading mode.

The new browser – then dubbed Project Spartan – was first teased by the company in January.

The company is calling Edge "a browser built for doing," with no-frills design and access to tools for enhancing the browsing experience.

With Edge the sole focus of the company is simplicity. It has built-in note taking capabilities, letting users annotate, draw, and take notes right within the browser, and then share those website notes with friends.

Edge includes a tab page for getting to frequently-used apps quickly and a distraction-free reading mode. The browser comes with Cortona integration, which lets a user's home tab page, populating it with relevant content and making suggestions on related sites to visit.

Microsoft Edge will be the sole browser running on Windows 10 mobile, although it can be downloaded to Windows 10 desktop, tablets and laptops.

Like Chrome, Microsoft is brining ‘web extensions' with JavaScript and HTML. Just like one can install apps in the Google Chrome browser, users will be able to install apps to the Microsoft Edge browser and the company is hoping that this will encourage more developers to take to the platform.